Paint is being stripped away in sections of the rotunda as restoration work moves ahead.

2010 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

State lawmakers are back to work Monday in Topeka. Both the Senate and House will gavel in at 2 p.m. At 7 p.m., Gov. Mark Parkinson will deliver his State of the State Address. The speech will be aired live on KTWU and Kansas Public Radio.

The Capitol will spring to life today as 125 House members, 40 Senators and a slew of lobbyists and citizens hoping to influence them return to Topeka for the 2010 legislative session.

It also will be a chance to check out the latest Capitol renovations and enjoy some of the last views of the rotunda with its grand view of the dome reaching skyward about seven stories overhead as murals wrap the interior.

Soon — within the next few weeks — scaffolding will begin to rise as the renovation project moves into its last and largest phase. The rails on the second and third floors, which offer some of the best views of the dome, will be closed. Temporary walls will be constructed to protect some of the murals and statues of famous Kansans like Amelia Earhart.

"This is a disappointing thing, but it has to be done," said Barry Greis, the statehouse architect. "You'll be able to look through a glass window in the door and see the construction and scaffolding, but they won't have access to the rotunda until after the 2012 session."

The final phase also includes restoration of the north wing and construction of a visitor's center on the north end of the Capitol. When complete, it will wrap up the decade-long interior and exterior renovation of the Capitol that also came to include a 118,000-square-foot underground addition of office space, as well as a parking garage.

The price tag for the project is now adding up to "$285 million plus. I just don't know what the plus is," Greis said.

Final bids are coming in. Lawmakers have committed up to $249 million in spending, and the 2010 Legislature will be asked to sign off on any additional spending — a potentially tough sell in a year when the state is facing a budget crisis. Already the project has come in far above the $120 million price tag first discussed, but that was before the parking garage, new office construction and unexpected repairs to the masonry and copper dome.

The renovations have been a mix of restoration and investigation. Much of the building's grandeur had been obscured, from the grime on copper balusters to paint concealing intricate stenciling. The restoration has sought to uncover what visitors would have seen during the early years as each wing of the Capitol opened.

To determine what the rooms originally looked like, paint has been stripped to reveal the original stenciling and photographs have been consulted. It is difficult to know why the stenciling was covered years ago, Greis said.

"It could have been economic reasons," he said. "It could have been a different philosophy. It certainly is less maintenance if you just paint it one color, but we lost so much by doing that. We lost the vision and the interpretation that the forefathers laid out. Why would they design this? Why would by put so much time energy and effort into it? We are trying to be faithful to them and what they wanted Kansans to see."

When the rotunda does reopen, visitors will get a view that has been lost for generations. Plans call for recreating a chandelier that hung in the dome but is believed to have been taken down and donated during a World War II scrap metal drive, said Vance Kelley, a principal with Treanor Architects leading the firm's efforts on the Statehouse.

"We had heard stories about the chandelier," Kelley said. "We had trouble finding any documents about what it looked like and when it was taken down. We finally came across a glass negative of a wonderful photograph of looking up through the dome and showing us that chandelier."

Even with the rotunda closed, other spaces are opened that are worth seeing. Among them, the John Brown mural has been reopened to visitors. The chambers for the House and Senate have been restored, and the space where the Supreme Court once heard cases is open again.

On Friday, Greis walked through the Supreme Court chambers where finishing touches were being made. The room appears brighter, and stenciled designs pop from the wall and ceiling.

"The frieze on the wall and the stencils on the ceiling, that's what we found," he said. "This is all what we uncovered — not only the patterns but the colors. That's what's amazing. It's what their vision was."

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of
civility. Posts and comments do not reflect the views of this site.
Posts and comments are automatically checked for inappropriate
language, but readers might find some comments offensive or
inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the
"Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

at least the next few years? In fact, if we don't raise taxes, don't cut out special tax breaks, and if we irreparably break our school system, and become known as the state that abandoned its weakest, the elderly and sick, for fear of not getting reelected - whomever IS elected or reelected is going to be facing the big "What now" question when they have to pay for the overspending on this restoration.

Yes, it's beautiful. Most of us would love to live in something that gorgeous. But mostly, at least some of us would like to take care of our disabled and elderly first. Then we'd like to see our schools become known throughout the country as being a place the best colleges should be looking to for students to accept, and maybe even subsidize their college educations because we have helped them become as bright as they can be.

Only a few years ago our family was into the college application process, no small feat! And that's where we learned that colleges DO look at the school systems a student has attended.

We could be battling with Louisiana (my home state) for the lowest bottom feeder position if we don't stop thinking kissing corporate butt is more important than supporting our schools.

It is a good thing that we are funding the capitol renovation. The capitol will be the only place that anyone will be able to visit in Kansas that is worth seeing. That is if you can make it past the uneducated, early released, meth induced paroles that have won't have any supervision. And don't expect any protection from the highway patrol along the way as they are only allowed to patrol within a 5 area to save on gas. Good luck to all who visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a future to anyone who wants to make Kansas their home in the future.

I'll take the numerous grammatical errors in your post as a sign that you really have no idea what you're talking about. What's a "5 area?" How about the "meth induced paroles that have won't have" comment? What do they first have then lose? And isn't it "parolees?" How does all of this connect together? I'm truly baffled.

If things are so bad here, why don't you try to fix them instead of playing armchair quarterback? You probably lack the foresight and vision to look long-term/big picture because you're confederate flag window sticker is blocking your view.

How about instead of writing on here, you go to kslegislature.org, find your legislator and write them a letter. I guarantee you they will see it, read it, and respond to it.

Next, if you're that upset and your elected leader is not doing what you want, you can either support a candidate who reflects similar views, or run for the office yourself.

Once you're in office, you stay there long enough to get others who share a your opinion, get the majority, then you cut where you'd like, or spend where you like.

To answer your second question, the other guy was illiterate, not me. What I'm guessing you wanted to say was "why do i even bother to answer someone so ignorant they can't even make a point without insulting someone?"

I'll answer that one- I'm not ignorant. I just point out that in the real world, where I live, if I expect to argue a position and gain respect, I type grammatically correct statements. When you write your legislator, I would advise you to proof the letter first. Otherwise, the real world experience will force that legislator to think you're an idiot.

I find great irony in your signature. Isn't Glen Beck on the extreme right?

whoshome, don't be so petty about spelling. Just because someone can't write as well as another doesn't make their opinion less valid than yours or mine. Besides, it doesn't make you look good putting someone else down to make yourself look better.

Plus Mustang does make a good point. How are we going to attract more people to move to Kansas when we have nothing to offer but a pretty state building. (The dome is still butt ugly)

You're naive in the extreme if you think you've actually pointed out how citizens can make legislators spend our tax money the way WE want it spent.

The best we can do is vote and communicate with them. That will not make them spend the way we want them to. My question was rhetorical because there is no way to do that, but you, being the big no it all, had to continue with your smart alec posts.

Why do you criticize my signature line when it is obvious you didn't click on the link from your statement?

Oh, right. You only post here to be critical of other posters.

Steven Warner is right.

Get you priorities right. There is a serious discussion opportunity to talk about what you think is right or wrong on this article topic - instead you cut every poster down for their typos.

And for your information I have post-post graduate studies in English. I don't need your snide inference that I wouldn't write well constructed letters to my representative.

Yep the restoration was needed, just like the need to remove all the beautiful trees that were there for a parking lot for the jackals that make sure that the citizens of Kansas have fewer and fewer things that are important for education,health and welfare.

If you're going to excoriate someone with ad hominem attacks based on 'numerous grammatical errors' you probably shouldn't employ the contraction "you're" (you are) for the proper "your" (possessive form of "you").

I say this only because it makes you appear to be less intelligent than you actually are.

Sorry for the errors whosome. I meant to say 5 miles and did not look over the rest. I love my state and stayed when my parents moved to another state for their employment. I hate that the only vision is for the capitol and not for a child's education. Whether we like it or not, the children in school are our future and a nice capitol building will not educate our kids. About the meth comment, when people do not have hope for the future they turn to drugs and crime. Education and jobs are the key to that future. I know my comments rubbed some people the wrong way, but I am passionate for the future of Kansas and I hate feeling that there is not a positive future for myself in my home state. I don't like my negative feelings and I have voted in every election since turning 18. I don't want to leave and I do want to help. Sorry in advance for any errors on this post.

I've never once gone to a town for the purpose of looking at their capital building.

Not that I haven't visited capital buildings, but I wouldn't have been more impressed if the lighting was new and the walls were freshly redone.

My reasons for visiting is the history, not the architecture. Rome, on the other hand... but that's Rome, not Topeka.

The mismanaged costs on this should be taken into consideration.

When the owners of Wolf Creek Nuclear plant mismanaged the construction of that plant, the KCC disallowed many millions of dollars to go into the rate base for the customers to pay. Why should the customers pay for the owner's mismanagement?

There has been mismanagement here and WE are the owners. We will have to bear the cost of the mismanagement. However, the question now is, "Do we want to cut our losses now, or just keep racking them up?"

I say cut the losses and wait for better economic times to fix the mistakes. These economic times are not small potatoes. Most people have never seen times this bad.

Sticking our heads in the sands regarding the economic situation this state is in is not smart at all.

My computer is a full seven plus years old. Sure, I need a new computer. But our savings took a huge loss after September 08, and I will not buy another computer, even though I might be embarrassed when visitors want to use my computer. Not until I know the worst is over.

Why would I want my government to be any less responsible?

I wonder if the people who want this irresponsible spending are people who work in the building, or have spouses who do.

carefully. I didn't say it was a bad project. I made it very clear that I think it's fine to finish it when we have the money.

I seriously doubt that there are enough tourists who do as your family did to justify many thousands of dollars in renovation WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

When we have the money, fine.

Where is this money going to come from?

Are we going to put more disabled people out on the streets for it?

That would look great to the tourists.

And btw, we are not a hub of architectural greatness, like Rome. It is not likely we ever will be.

"I know! Let's go to Topeka, Kansas! They have world renowned architecture!" Not going to happen.

How about, "Let's stop by Topeka because it's on our way and we won't have to deal with heavy traffic, and we should be able to find a decent motel for a good price there."

Many of us travel with just such considerations on where to stop. In fact, I'd bet that is by far the most common tourist that we get.

If we came up with some other thing (not the largest ball of twine, please) that would draw tourists, great. We have Heartland Park, for instance. But architecture that costs us many thousands of dollars and is only for the locals, because very few tourists will come? Great... when we have the money.